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Date Posted: 20:04:28 06/14/10 Mon
Author: Tim
Subject: Al Williamson

Al Williamson, a gifted comic book artist and cartoonist, has passed away at 79. His best-known work includes his contributions to the EC Comics science fiction titles Weird Science and Weird Fantasy in the 1950s.

Williamson's artwork for a Flash Gordon comic book series in 1966 and 1967 was well-received by fans, and in 1980 he did a comic book adaptation of the Dino De Laurentiis Flash Gordon motion picture of the same year. He also worked on various Star Wars comic strip projects.

Al Williamson's Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic was published in 2009. The book collects most of Williamson's work on the character, including the King Features comic book stories from the 1960s, the 1980 adaptation of the Flash Gordon movie, and the Marvel Comics miniseries of 1995.

I am familiar with some of Williamson's comic book work, but have never read his Flash Gordon material since I only became an FG fan in the last couple of years.

Sergeant Tim

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Replies:

[> Re: Al Williamson -- Officer Torch, 22:03:30 06/14/10 Mon [1]

Sergeant Tim...I vaguely recall the name, for me, with regard to the FG 1980 movie. Sadly, another loss in the art and celebrity world.

I'd like to suggest something before some material goes out of print if not already. There were outfits that printed reproduction books of Alex Raymond's Sunday comic strips. I myself purchased a 7 volume set by Checker Book Publishing Group. These hardcover books in landscape format were superb...color, paper quality, overall artwork. Pictures were sharp, print as well, very nicely made. They released them over a few years to keep costs within reason, then something like $20 a book some years back. I got them gradually, direct from publisher, Amazon, ebay, others. I'm seeing less of these now here and there at substantial price differences ,from very reasonable to costly, to N/A.

The first 5 books are best; we no longer see Ming in Volumes 6 and 7. FG and friends are on earth in a war and it is decided to make a 2nd trip to Mongo to obtain elements for weapon enhancement. There they meet yet another queen, another tyrant...but we clearly see the handwriting on the wall for the FG comics. If you can, should good buys come along, perhaps used, try to pick up Volumes 1,2,3 to give you good ideas of FG comics from yesteryear; better yet, 4 and 5, or all 7 if the price is right. Yes, times are tough, but these gems may be out of reach in a short time. You can make comparisons with serials where they exist, but the comics become quite different as time progresses.

I know you enjoy the serials, so do I...and I never thought I'd get really like or get hooked on these so-called comics as well. You will see great artistry in Alex Raymond's work including nicely devised stories and characters. Others followed Raymond's work in FG and did well, though I personally favor ARs material.


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[> Re: Al Williamson -- Tim, 22:42:27 06/14/10 Mon [1]

It sounds like a good value for the Mingols, so I will look into it, Officer Torch.

I have seen a few of Alex Raymond's FG panels and pages in various books and online, and they do indeed look gorgeous. Speaking of gorgeous, Raymond's Dale Arden was not a blonde, which might surprise some who only know her character from the first Flash Gordon serial in 1936.

One of the Al Williamson obits (at the Comicon website) notes that during his childhood Williamson "began a life-long love affair with comics; especially those illustrated by Alex Raymond."

Sergeant Tim


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[> Re: Al Williamson -- Officer Torch, 09:30:49 06/15/10 Tue [1]

Sgt.Tim: Turns out ARs Dale Arden was a brunette, and interestingly, she had a strong resemblance to Carol Hughes in the 1940 FGCTU serial! My understanding was that Jean Roger's hair was dyed blond for the 1936 serial Dale Arden character since the public had interest in the Jean Harlow look. By 1938 FGs Trip to Mars serial, Jean Rogers was brunette owing to commitments elsewhere we're told. Also, perhaps hair color became less important in Depression Era times going into WWII.

Say, curiously, you'll find the cinnamon bun like hair twists at the sides near ears of Queen Fria in the AR comics, like Star Wars Princess Leia's hairdo. So many details like that from Flash Gordon apparently stuck with George Lucas', and if I watch some early Star Wars trilogy now and then, I often see some parallels to the FG serials and ARs brilliant work. Too bad George Lucas couldn't get the green light...it would've been great, with all those AR adventures, queens, good guys, bad guys, characters, kingdoms galore, monsters, etc.

For a remake with this to work nowadays in this CG wide screen hi-def 3D age, the filmaker would do well to follow ARs stories as closely as possible in my opinion. Doing so could result in a worldwide spectacular with sequels galore. A franchise to perhaps match, or outbeat others if done properly. A low budget film won't make it these days for Flash Gordon...it'll just wind up in some vault or maybe DVD bargain bin. It's gotta be done right, or not at all in my opinion.

Meanwhile, it would be nice for us diehard fans to maybe see a colorized version, Ray Harryhausen style, of the old serial FG trilogy from 1936,38 and 40, closed captioned and sub-titled for the many fans worldwide.


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